1 Coríntios 3
Theophylact of Ohrid
1 Coríntios 3:1
Above he was bringing down the pride of the Corinthians in worldly wisdom; but, lest they say: we boast not in that, but in spiritual wisdom, he now shows that even in our wisdom they had not attained perfection, but still remained imperfect, and he says that they had not yet heard anything about more perfect subjects. He well said "I could not," lest they think that he did not speak to them about more perfect things out of envy. The reason I could not speak to you as to perfect ones is that you are still occupied with fleshly things. But how did they, being fleshly, perform signs? Indeed, they were such, as was also said in the beginning. But it is possible both to work signs and at the same time to be fleshly, like those people who cast out demons in the name of Christ. For signs are for the benefit of others and therefore are often performed even through the unworthy. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:1-3
In the mysteries of Christ, he says, you are still infants, therefore I gave you milk to drink, that is, the simplest teaching, and did not offer you solid food, that is, more perfect teaching. Why? Because you were not yet able (to receive it). And to bring down their pride, he adds: "and even now you are not able," for you still think about fleshly things. Do you see: they are not able to receive such teaching because they do not want to be spiritual, but remain fleshly. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:3
Everything that was said above, he spoke to the leaders who prided themselves on their wisdom and nobility, but now he turns to the subordinates and says: I rightly call you carnal, because among you there is envy, strife, and divisions. He could have accused them of fornication and many other vices as well; but since divisions and strife had especially intensified among them, he mentions these. It is important to note that everywhere he joins envy with strife. This is because from envy come strife, and from strife come divisions. But if all these disorders exist among you, then "are you not walking according to human custom?" that is, are you not thinking in a carnal, human, and earthly manner? — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:4
He designates by the names of Paul and Apollos the distinguished men and teachers among the Corinthians. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:5
And even this, he says, small service we do not have of ourselves, but received it from the Lord, each in his own measure. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:5
Having put forward his own and Apollos's name, he faithfully achieves his purpose. He reasons as follows: if we are nothing, then what is to be said of your teachers? We, he says, are "servants," and not the very root and source of blessings — that source is Christ. Therefore we ought not to be puffed up, since we have delivered to you blessings received from God; for all things belong to Him, the giver of blessings. He did not say: we are evangelists, but: "servants" — this is because evangelism encompasses only teaching, whereas service includes deeds as well. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:6
I, he says, was the first to sow the preaching; but Apollos, by his constant teaching, did not allow the seed to wither from the heat of the temptations of the evil one, but God made you grow. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:7
Look how, by humbling himself and Apollos, he makes bearable the humbling of the wise and rich leaders of the Corinthians, teaching that He attributes to Himself all the blessings bestowed upon us. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:8
They can do nothing without the help of God; in this respect they are one; so how can you exalt yourselves over one another, when you are one? — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:8
It could easily have happened that those who labored more than others in matters of faith would have become careless upon hearing that all is one; therefore he immediately explains his expression and says that all is one only in relation to their powerlessness to do anything without the help of God who gives the growth. But as for recompense, each one will receive a reward according to his own labor. He did not say: according to his own work, but: "according to his own labor," for what does it matter if someone did not even accomplish the work? At least he labored. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:9
Having said above: "I planted," he continues the comparison, and calls them a field. If you are a field and a building, then you should be called by the name of the Master, and not of the plowmen or builders, and, as a field, you should be enclosed by a wall of unanimity, and as a building, you should be in unity among yourselves, and not in division. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:9
We teachers are fellow workers of God, cooperating with God in the salvation of people, and not the authors or givers of salvation. Therefore one must neither despise us, for we are fellow workers of God, nor boast in us, for all things are God's. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:10
He calls himself a wise master builder not out of arrogance, but wishing to show that it is proper for a wise master builder to lay such a foundation, that is, Christ. And that he said this truly not out of arrogance is evident from his words: "according to the grace of God given to me," that is, my wisdom is not my own doing, but a gracious gift of God. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:10
Above he conversed with them about unity, and now he speaks about the way of life, calling the deeds of each person a building. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:11
No one can, so long as he remains a wise master builder. But if someone is not a wise master builder, then he can lay another foundation; hence heresies. Among you, Corinthians, there is one foundation – Christ: therefore you ought to build upon this foundation not that which comes from strife and envy, but works of virtue. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:12-13
From the time we received the foundation of faith, each of us builds upon it: some build good works, which are of various kinds, some greater, some lesser—for example, virginity is like gold, honorable marriage like silver, non-covetousness like precious stones, almsgiving amid wealth is a work of already lesser value. Others among you build up evil works, which are also of various degrees. Those works that can more easily burn up are called hay and straw, such as: impurity, idolatry, covetousness; while those that do not burn so easily are called wood, such as: drunkenness, laughter, and similar vices. Some, however, understand it the other way around, that is, they call the previously mentioned vices wood, and the latter ones hay and straw. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:13
He calls "day" the day of judgment. "In fire," he says further, "it is revealed," that is, it is made manifest what the works are in themselves, whether gold or something contrary. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:14-15
If you have silver or gold, then your work will survive, and you will receive a reward; but if you have hay and the like, then your work will not withstand the force of the fire (this is what the expression "it will be burned" means), but it will be revealed that it is worthless. If someone were to cross the river of fire in golden armor, he would come out on the other bank in a more radiant form; but if another were to go through that same river with hay, he would not only gain no profit, but would destroy even himself. So it will be with works. Consequently, faith without good works brings no benefit. For behold, here the foundation is Christ; but works not performed according to the law of Christ are condemned to burning. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:15
He himself will not perish in the same way as his works, that is, he will not pass into nothingness, but will be "saved," that is, preserved whole, so that he may burn in the fire. Among us too, regarding wood that does not easily burn up and turn to ash, it is customary to say that it remains whole in the fire, so that a considerable amount of time is required for its burning. Thus the sinner suffers loss from having labored over such works, from which he perishes, and expended all his efforts on what has no being and does not exist (for every evil is something non-existent), just as if someone were to purchase a corpse at a great price instead of a living body. Meanwhile he himself, that is the sinner, will be "saved," that is, preserved whole for eternal torments. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:16
He turns his speech to the one who sinned. And see how effectively he puts him to shame. Namely, by the grace given to us, that is, by the indwelling of the Spirit in us, he shames the sinner, although he does not clearly reveal his identity, but speaks in general terms. Meanwhile, if we are the temple of God because the Spirit dwells in us, then it follows that the Spirit is God. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:17
That is, he will destroy. In these words is expressed not a curse, but a prediction about the future. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:17
Therefore, a fornicator cannot be holy, since he has ceased to be the temple of God, having driven out the Spirit who sanctifies him. Who then constitutes this temple? You, if you remain pure. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:18
Thinking that this happens otherwise, and not as I said. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:18
Having made a slight allusion to the one who sinned, he again turns his speech to those who were puffed up with worldly wisdom. Whoever, he says, "thinks himself to be wise in this age, let him become a fool," that is, let him cast aside worldly wisdom in order to acquire the divine. For just as poverty according to God is riches, and dishonor is glory, so also foolishness according to God is wisdom. But observe: he did not say "let him cast aside wisdom," but, what is much more, "let him become a fool," that is, let him reason about nothing on his own, let him not trust his own proofs, but follow God as a flock follows a shepherd, and believe all that is divine. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:19
He brings forth evidence of how human wisdom is foolishness before God, and says that God catches the wise as fools, that is, conquers them with their own weapons. For, with all their cunning and wisdom, they are exposed in stupidity and foolishness. For example: some thought that they had no need of God, and could comprehend everything by themselves; but God showed them in deed that neither power nor the art of speech brought them any benefit whatsoever, and that they especially, more than others, had need of God — they who thought they could get by without any help. Thus, with all their skill, by which they considered themselves all-knowing, they turned out to be complete ignoramuses, and in matters of necessity more uneducated than fishermen and tanners. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:19
For it not only does not contribute to the acquisition of true wisdom, but, on the contrary, even hinders it, because, thinking highly of itself, it rejects divine teaching and thus leaves in perpetual ignorance those who possess this wisdom; therefore they are also caught by God, as fools. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:20
If the Lord knows that the reasonings of men are vain, because there is nothing necessary and salvific in them, then how is it that you, Corinthians, harbor thoughts contrary to God and occupy yourselves with them as though they were profitable! — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:21-22
This, it seems, is said to the subordinates, but strikes at the leaders, suggesting that they should by no means boast either of outward wisdom, since it is foolishness, or of spiritual gifts, since they belong to God and are given for the benefit of the subordinates. This is what the words mean: "for all things are yours," that is, why do your teachers boast? And why do you puff them up and exalt them? For they have nothing of their own, but all that they have belongs to you, has been given to them for your benefit, and they ought to be grateful to you. Meanwhile, he again mentioned himself and Peter: this was so that his words would not be so harsh, and to suggest: if even we received our gifts for your sake and were appointed teachers for your sake, then all the more should your present teachers not boast of their gifts as though they were their own acquisition, for these are blessings that belong to others. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:22
And the "life" of teachers, he says, is for you, so that you might learn from them and receive benefit; and their "death" is for you, for it is on your behalf and for your salvation that they undergo dangers. Or alternatively: the death of Adam is also for you, so that you might be brought to your senses; and the death of Christ is for you, so that you might be saved. In short: the whole "world" is for you, so that through it you might ascend to the Creator and by its corruptibility learn to desire incorruptible goods. For you also is "the present," that is, the goods that God grants to believers even here; and for you likewise "the future" has been prepared. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians
1 Coríntios 3:22-23
Christ is God's not in the same sense in which we are Christ's. We are Christ's as His work and creation, but Christ is God's both as the pre-eternal Son and as having the Father as His cause. Thus, although the expression is the same, the meaning is different, for all things are ours not in the same sense in which we are Christ's; we are servants of Christ and His creation, but all that exists is neither something subservient to us nor our creation. Therefore you do wrong in dividing yourselves according to men, when you belong to Christ. — Commentary on 1 Corinthians